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Teach for Alamance Fellows share lessons learned with undergraduates

Undergraduate students in the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education were able to learn from several Teach for Alamance Fellows during their Winter Term course.

ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ undergraduate education students had the unique opportunity to learn not just ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ faculty during Winter Term, but ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ alumni and current graduate students.

Students in the “Children’s Literature and Arts Integration” course, taught by Associate Professor of Education Lisa Buchanan, were able to visit and work with first-year teachers participating in the Teach for Alamance program. The ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ scholarship program provides full tuition remission and a small stipend to teacher-candidate graduates of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education who wish to enroll in ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ’s master of education program.

The Fellows must commit to two years of teaching in the Alamance-Burlington School System (ABSS) and must be employed by ABSS at the time of matriculation to the Master of Education program and for the duration of their studies. The Fellows were also able to visit and work with the undergraduate students in their ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ course. Meghan Malone ’24 G’26, who teaches at South Mebane Elementary School, came to campus and shared a mock read-aloud lesson.

“It’s been really rewarding,” said Malone. “It makes me reflect on how far I’ve come from being an undergrad and being in their shoes. Coming back and being able to share my experience makes me feel really confident.”

Two people sit in chairs. Person on the left is speaking with a hand up.
Malaina Carter ’24 G’26 (left) and Meghan Malone ’24 G’26 (right) share their experiences during their first year of teaching in a Q&A session on Jan. 24.

On Jan. 24, four of the five Teach for Alamance Fellows participated in a Q&A session with the undergraduate students in the McEwen dining engagement space. The group was also joined by several Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education faculty who taught the Fellows as undergraduate students including Erin Hone, senior lecturer in education; Heidi Hollingsworth, associate professor of education; Lisa Thompson, adjunct instructor of education and Melaine Rickard, instructor of education.

“It’s been a really eye-opening experience to see how well they’ve been succeeding and be in a first-year classroom,” said Sophie Patella ’27, an elementary education and special education major in the “Children’s Literature and Arts Integration” course. “I’m feeling so much more confident in myself. All of them have said ‘Be confident in yourself. You’re going through this program, you’re going to come out prepared. Just be yourself. You have to be flexible. You’re going to make mistakes and that’s okay.'”

Four people sit in chairs. The person closest to the camera is speaking
From left to right: Teach for Alamance Fellows Julia Kearney ’24 G’26, Anna Sophia Steinki ’24 G’26, Malaina Carter ’24 G’26 and Meghan Malone ’24 ’26 during a Q&A session in McEwen Dining Hall

The Fellows shared advice on building up their classroom library, juggling a master’s degree program while working full-time, their first-year teacher struggles and how ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ faculty have made a difference in their career.

“This has been an incredible full circle experience as faculty,” said Buchanan. “I have learned alongside these five teachers through their undergraduate program, even supervising three in the field before student teaching, and now, in my graduate classes as they engage the Teach for Alamance program. It’s been amazing to see their growth as teachers. But the most rewarding part of our partnership is to be in their classrooms with their students observing their teaching craft as they partner with my class and teacher candidates—it is such a beautiful full-circle opportunity.”

Five people stand for a photo
From left to right: Malaina Carter ’24 G’26, Meghan Malone ’24 G’26, Lisa Buchanan, associate professor of education and wellness, Julia Kearney ’24 G’26 and Anna Sophia Steinki ’24 G’26 following a Q&A session with Buchanan’s Winter Term class “Children’s Literature and Arts Integration” in McEwen Dining Hall.